


A Hard Blow

by Small_Hobbit



Series: The Ocelot Collection [21]
Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-31
Updated: 2017-03-31
Packaged: 2018-10-13 05:51:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10507581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: Holmes and Watson are after a kidnapper, assisted by The Ferret (in pink booties)





	

The visitor in front of us was well known for her appearances in the society pages, frequently mentioned as being on the arm of her husband, whether in attendance at the theatre, the opera or at a charity function.  These reports would normally comment on her poise and dignity.  Now, however, concern radiated from her.  It was all Holmes could do to persuade his client to cease pacing up and down our rooms and take a seat.

“Mr Holmes, I cannot bring this matter to the police,” the lady said.  “My husband refuses to take the threat seriously, so even if I were to disregard his views, I would be considered just another hysterical woman.”

“And you are sure your brother-in-law intends to kidnap your baby daughter?” Holmes said.

“After his meeting last night with my husband, I have no doubt of it.  He is desperate for money, which my husband refuses to give him this time.”

“And you believe he will act today?” I asked.

The lady turned towards me.  “My brother-in-law has debts which need to be settled by this evening.  He was practically screaming this as my husband showed him out of the house.”

“Can you not keep the children at home?” Holmes asked.

“I mentioned this to my husband at breakfast, but he is adamant the children’s routine must continue as normal.  He has informed the staff this is to happen.”

 “How did the nanny respond to this?”

“She will do as instructed, for fear of losing her position.  I know she wouldn’t let anything happen to a child in her care.  That concerns me too, for I fear if a kidnap attempt were made she might get hurt.”

“One last question: will your brother-in-law be directly involved in the kidnapping?”

“No, he wouldn’t run the risk of being recognised.”

“Then this is what we shall do.”

***

It was a mark of how dangerous Holmes believed the case to be, that he himself decided to take the part of the nanny.  Holmes told the client to ensure the nanny left the house for her afternoon walk at the normal time.  There was a secluded spot not far from the house where Holmes could take over from her. 

The nanny would then take the taxi, which would bring Holmes to the meeting place, back to Baker Street.  In addition, Esme, our housemaid, would be on hand to accompany her.  Our client had been instructed to meet the nanny in our rooms.

Holmes hastily put together an outfit which would pass muster as a nanny.  It would not convince another nanny for an instant, but would be a sufficient disguise to fool a would-be kidnapper.

Whilst Holmes was constructing his outfit I asked him what he intended to do about a baby for the pram.  “I suppose you could use a doll,” I said, “but surely the kidnappers would expect some movement from within?”

“I shall take the Ferret with me,” he replied.  “Wrapped in a blanket and with his face shadowed by the hood of the pram I think he will be sufficiently convincing.  If we leave his back feet exposed and put pink booties on them he can wave them around.”

I had resigned myself to going out to purchase the booties, when Holmes reappeared from the lumbar room, holding a blanket and a pair of booties.  I raised my eyebrows at him, since I had no idea any such items were stored in there.

“As you know, Watson, I like to keep a variety of items available for just such a situation.  I seem to remember buying these at a sale of work Mrs Hudson asked me to accompany her to.”

I nodded wisely.  Holmes had sufficiently annoyed Mrs Hudson we were in danger of being given cold dinners for a week.  The only way she could be mollified was for him to join her at the sale of work and buy a significant number of items to boost the total amount which the organisers sought to raise.

The Ferret resigned himself to wearing the pink booties.  His preference would have been for blue ones (I assumed Holmes had bought some of each colour), but he appreciated pink would be more appropriate, since our client’s baby was a girl.  He was mollified slightly because the blanket was lemon yellow and he felt it complemented the colour of his fur.  We hoped no-one would notice the fur and thus the blanket colour was irrelevant, but we didn’t bother mentioning this to him.

At the appointed hour, Holmes and the Ferret took a cab, whilst I made my way on foot to Regent’s Park.  After a while I spotted an austere looking nanny pushing a perambulator in my general direction.  I wondered whether the ruse would work, but it appeared the kidnappers had recognised the arms on the side of the pram, because one of them sidled up to Holmes and began to pay him compliments.

I was practically biting my moustache to stop myself laughing, for it is not often Holmes is addressed as being a sweet lady, with a request to know when she had her half day, so that perhaps they could meet for a cup of tea in a tea shop.  As Holmes simpered and turned to address her apparent admirer, his confederate grabbed the handle of the pram and hurried off with it across the park.

As soon as he had left, Holmes swung a punch, which showed his ability in bare knuckle fighting, and his erstwhile admirer collapsed on the ground. 

“Don’t think I’m going to talk,” the man said, spitting out blood in the process.  “We’ve still got the baby.”

“Be that as it may,” Holmes said.  “You’re coming with me.”

I joined them and we set off together across the park.  As we walked we saw the man’s partner running in our direction.  He saw the three of us walking together and stopped, before hastily turning and heading off another way.

“That doesn’t look to me like someone in possession of a baby,” Holmes said in a cheerful tone.

Our captive swore.

“Ordinarily I would have no hesitation in handing you over to the police,” Holmes said.  “But on this occasion I wish to trap the person behind this scheme, so if you co-operate fully I will not pass on my knowledge.”

The man reluctantly agreed, and we therefore put the next part of Holmes’ plan into action.

I returned to Baker Street, to find our client, the nanny, and the baby waiting for me.  I explained to the client I would accompany them back to their home, and when she questioned the safety of doing so, I told her there was no danger whilst the brother-in-law believed his plan was working.

Once at the house the client showed me into a small drawing room, where it had been agreed I would wait for Holmes.  Holmes arrived a little before half past five, with confirmation all had gone to plan.  The brother-in-law was expected shortly after six o’clock, at which time he would be sure to find his brother to be at home, prior to leaving for his club.

While we waited Holmes said to me, “The plan went exactly as we had hoped.  The kidnapper took the perambulator across the park and then stopped to check he wasn’t being followed.  At that point the Ferret hopped out and sat by a tree stump.  The man turned back to the pram, saying ‘Which little baby is going to bring me lots of money?’ and then gave a cry when he discovered there was no little baby.  He left the pram at a run, and as we know he was heading towards where we were.”

“Did the Ferret have anything else to tell you?”

“No, he didn’t wait to find out what happened next, but trotted back to Baker Street.  He did say he looked ridiculous wearing one pair of booties, so he took them off.  And anyway, apparently pink isn’t his colour.”

I grinned.  “We can’t have the Ferret looking ridiculous, after all.”

Holmes gave a snort of laughter.

Not long after that there was a knock on the front door and the brother-in-law was admitted.  We heard him go straight to his brother’s study and shortly afterwards the study door was thrown open and our client’s husband was heard shouting in an agitated fashion for his wife.  Holmes and I stepped quietly out of the drawing room and watched as our client descended the stairs, carrying the baby.

“What can I do for you, my love?” she asked.

Her husband turned to his brother.  “How dare you?” he said.  He raised his fist.  The blow he delivered was one even Holmes would have been proud of. 

“I think it would be prudent if we were to leave quietly,” Holmes said.  “His lordship is now aware of the depths of his brother’s treachery and the children will be quite safe.”

We departed through a side door and made our way back to Baker Street.  A few days later Holmes received a letter from his client thanking us and enclosing a generous cheque.  She informed us her husband had accompanied her brother-in-law to the docks and seen him on board an ocean going vessel.

Holmes waved the cheque and said with a grin, “Time to buy the Ferret’s next outfit!”


End file.
